Wichita eagle., 1887-11-08
WHO FLAUNrS THE BLOODY SHIRT?

When the South appealed to arms and
tried to break up the union, men like
Malone, Mosby, LongStreet and a few
less notable ones went into the Confeder-
ate army and fought on many bloody
fields for cause that was then deemed
Just. Wherever the battle waged hottest
| in the numerous conflicts between the
armies of Northern Virginia and the
Potomac, Longstreet, Malone and Ewell
Were at the front. History of that day
must ever bear their names upon its
pages as most loyal and brave in the lost
cause. One would think that these men
would be fairly worshiped at the South
for their great efforts in its behalf. But
no, they are not. Statues and mOnu-
ments are going up. to Lee and
jackson, and will to other chiefs
in the cities of the South
but no one is likely to see one to either
of the first named distinguished Confed-
crate generals. Why: Simply this:
When the war was drawing to a close
the sagacious old Ewen, fairly shot to
pieces, begged Lee to take the RESPONSE
bility upon himself when Davis and his
cabinet were fleeing from Richmond for
Europe, to surrender the army upon the
best terms possible and stop the waste of
life and property. And when Ewell
died he gave instructions to have his
body buried in his old U. S. captains
uniform wrapped in the old fla. He
would take no part in the continuation
of the rebellion under the auspices of the
Democratic party. For all this the
southern boubons have hated his mem
DRY. Longstreet, Mosby and then Ma
hone saw tit to join the Republican party
in preference TO the Democratic. For
this failure to continue the contest by
merging the martial into the political
fight for what is left of the Lost Cause
the bourbons north and south have re-
viled them and prosecuted them in every
way possible.
But lately the southern bourbons
crowned their continued spite against
LongStreet and Malone by refusing to
invite them to participate in the cere-
monies of unveiling Lees monument at
Richmond. The brave old Malone
would not go. He is not an F. F. V,
being descended of an Irish jansen"
who made his start as a railroader. This
bourbonistic waving of the bloody shirt
has kept the war feeling of the south at
fever heat for years; it has repressed
the growth and flow of reason in that
section. and prevented the old Wing ele-
ment of the south from forming their
natural alliances with the Republicans:
by these and even far more violent meas
ures.
1t is this that caused the large element
of southern Union men who are scattered
widely over the south as well as large
numbers of eN-Union soldiers in that sec
ton. to base their identity as political
factors, or TO vote passively the Demo-
cratic ticket. 10 say nothing of the COM
plete elimination Of the negro vote in all
save increasing the Democratic represen-
tauon IN congress. Republicans do not
and have not been in the habit of waving
the bloody shirt. They are only COM
PEELED 10 relate in self defense a few of
the leading acts Of the Democracy which
that shirt. and naturally
causes that party TO wave il for the spe-
citic purpose Of keeping their heterogen-
Gus organization united north and south. T.
Governor Martin has issued proola- /